But lest he should not do so I have taken the liberty to drop you this note in relation to it, and if you regard it in the light that it presents itself to me you can communicate it to those who will be able to guard the country against any mischief that might otherwise be likely to flow from the ability of the enemies of the Government to keep up a free and undisturbed correspondence by means by the privileges granted in good faith to foreign consuls accredited to the Government of the United States and residing in the revolted territory. If the British consul in Richmond is obliging enough to render a facility of this kind to one rebel he can hardly refuse it to others, and for any purpose that may suit the convenience of those who may desire it, and if one British consul resident it the revolted States will lend himself for the use of the enemies of the Government to which he stands accredited is it not likely that others similarly situated do the same thing, and that through this consular postal medium Jeff. Davis and the head rebels of the South are kept daily advised of whatever is being done on the part of the Federal Government to counteract their nefarious intentions?

I remain, my dear sir, with great respect, very truly, your friend,

J. E. COOLEY.

Resolution adopted by the House of Representatives July 8, 1861.

Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to instruct the officers of the Army of the United States taking prisoners and releasing them upon their oath of allegiance to the United States to report their name and residence to him that they may be recorded in his Department.

NAVY DEPARTMENT, July 8, 1861.

Honorable WILLIAM H. SEWARD, Secretary of State.

SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a copy of a memorandum that has been left with me giving information of a plan said to have been formed by a person named James C. Hurry, of Baltimore, for the capture* of one of the steam-boats plying between Baltimore and the Patuxent River. The memorandum is from a responsible source.

I am, respectfully, your obedient servant,

GIDEON WELLES.

[Inclosure - Memorandum.]

A man of notoriously bad character named James C. Hurry, a resident of Baltimore, has formed a plan for the capture during the present week of one of the steam-boats plying between Baltimore and the Patuxent River, either by putting his men on board the boat at Baltimore or at Millstone Landing, on that river. This Millstone Landing or point is a position from whence more smuggling of men and provisions is carried on than any other place on the Chesapeake waters. Small vessels are constantly plying between that position and the Rappahannock and Cone Rivers, chiefly to the latter, where a Tennessee regiment is posted. These vessels are run outside of Captain Budd's lines.

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*See case of Zarvona, p. 379, et seq.

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2 R R - SERIES II, VOL II